There are instances in which it is desirable, for simplicity of assembly, to provide a detachable provisional connection between two annular members that are to be fixedly juxtaposed in coaxial relationship upon final mounting. Such a provisional joint is not subjected to any stresses in use but must withstand a certain amount of handling in the course of emplacement. Members so interconnected may comprise, for example, a sleeve serving as a journal-bearing race and an adjoining abutment ring of larger outer diameter forming a shoulder.
It has already been proposed (see, for example, German utility-model registration No. 1,988,421) to interconnect two axially juxtaposed bearing races by an annular clip with a U-shaped cross-sectional profile whose arms engage in annular grooves of the two members. Such a clip, made of sheet metal, is expensive to manufacture and difficult to attach automatically to the associated members. Its peripheral discontinuity precludes an accurate self-centering and there is no simple way of fitting it onto the members in such a way as to eliminate any axial play therebetween. Once the sleeves have been permanently mounted on a shaft, their axial separation for the purpose of inspection or repair is impossible without destruction of the clip.